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Antron Brown was the top NHRA driver in Top Fuel qualifying on Friday night in St. Louis. Photo by NHRA

Brown, Beckman, Line and Arana Jr. take top qualifying spots in NHRA action

September 27, 2012

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Top Fuel racer Antron Brown led a record-setting day of qualifying Friday at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park.

Brown and the rest of the NHRA teams took advantage of cool fall temperatures in the St. Louis area that led to a parade of track records in all four Full Throttle Series classes. It is the first time drag racing's marquee circuit has visited the multi-purpose motorsports facility that sits just beside the Mississippi river and in view of the famed Gateway Arch in more than two years.

Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were qualifying leaders at the third of six playoff races in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship.

Brown powered his Matco Tools/Aaron's dragster to a track record performance of 3.737 seconds at 326.79 mph to qualify just in front of his teammate and championship rival Spencer Massey, who was second with a 3.752 at 326.16 in his FRAM/Prestone dragster.

“We made the third-quickest run in history on a track we haven't ran on in two years, which is a credit to the Gateway staff and the NHRA Safety Safari,” Brown said. “When I stepped on the gas, the car picked up and took off with no hesitation.

Brown and Massey entered the event tied at the top of the Top Fuel standings, but Brown now holds a two-point lead by virtue of his better qualifying effort today.

“This is the way you want to start,” Brown said. “We never ran that quick before. We got pretty much everything out of that run.”

David Grubnic posted a 3.773 at 317.94 in his Optima Batteries dragster for third overall, while seven-time Top Fuel world champ Tony Schumacher was fourth with a 3.775 at 325.69 in his U.S. Army dragster.

In Funny Car, Beckman led the field with a track record time of 4.049 at 308.85 in his Valvoline/NextGen Dodge Charger.

Line set both ends of the Pro Stock track record in moving to the top of the order with a performance of 6.514 at 212.76 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro.